


The Contract

by Quinis



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-07
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-02-24 12:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2582273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinis/pseuds/Quinis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A contract has been made. A hit decided. Damian Wayne has been sent as 'help' to stop the assassin. They knew the target and they knew the time. However, they didn't know the year. Now Damian's faced with a Dick Grayson who's close to his age and Robin, a father who hasn't lost any Robins and a team he doesn't care about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Assassins, Schools and One(?) Dick Grayson

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: This was not the story I intended to write next, but I found this prompt and it wouldn't leave me alone.
> 
> Damian's about 13-14 in this, making him around the same age as YJ Dick. This means he's going to be a bit mellower than he is/was in the comics (it's totally Dick's influence). I'm also basing some of his personality on Lil'Gotham, which is where I picked up Red Hood's attitude and appearance.
> 
> I did a quick google search on Redbird (I read Demon Star but that's all in the Batman Inc. series) to check whether Damian was the only one to hold the title and as far as I could find, he is. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I did modify the costume a bit to make it fit with what Damian wears as Robin – And I like Damian in a hood.
> 
> Prompt:
> 
>  
> 
> _An assassin from the future comes to murder Robin/Dick Grayson before he grows up to be even more awesome than he is now._
> 
>  
> 
> _Luckily the future sent uh. Help. Damian Wayne has traveled back in time to kick the would be assassin in the nuts and protect Dick Grayson at all costs._
> 
>  
> 
> _I want cute family stuff please!_

* * *

Damian glared at his father. Grayson had been sent out in his place and would be partnering with Batman for the next few days. Something which his father had neglected to inform him of.

And when Grayson had asked him what he did to get banned from patrol, he had been shocked with the news.

 _"What delusion have you cooked up now, Grayson?" he had demanded to know._ But it wasn't a delusion, he knew that now.

Bruce Wayne stood in the Batsuit with the cowl down, looking annoyed with his questions.

"I'm not going to stay in while you fight crime," Damian said determinedly. He was ready to fight about this but, his father surprised him by saying;

"No. You're not."

"That's ri– what?"

"I see I am just in time," Alfred said, walking down the steps with a costume in his hands.

Damian's mouth dropped open, recognising the reds and blacks of the Redbird outfit.

"What's going on?" he demanded to know.

"We have information about a hit scheduled for tonight. I want you to go with my informant and check out the validity of his information. If the hit is to happen, I want you to stop it."

"Who's the hit against?" Damian asked, still wondering why the Redbird costume was out.

"Richard Grayson." Damian turned and his hand twitched for a knife as Red Hood stepped out of the shadows. The man was only wearing the red mask over his eyes with the regular clothes Red Hood was known for wearing; a white shirt under a black leather jacket, blue jeans, red gloves and brown boots with a large utility belt around his waist. Batman had banned him from bringing guns into the Batcave but Damian could see the empty holsters at his sides.

"Grayson? Why him?" Damian demanded to know. He told himself that the cold shiver he felt was not because he was worried about the man but because there was an enemy standing before him.

"Dunno," Red Hood responded with a shrug. "I caught the news and brought it to you only because Dick is the target. It's a curtesy, nothing more."

"Except you intend to go after the assassin," Batman said. Bruce had pulled the cowl over his head while they had been talking.

"Of course," Red Hood pointed out, his whole manner radiating, 'isn't it obvious?'.

"You will take Redbird with you."

"I– what?"

"What?" Damian screeched. He refused to work with the Red Hood!

Batman looked him straight in the eye.

"I want Redbird on this. I would go myself but I cannot be seen working with Red Hood."

"And someone needs to distract Nightwing," Red Hood pointed out.

"I need someone with Nightwing who knows the whole situation but isn't going to give it away. The last thing I need is him running right at someone who's trying to kill him."

"Wow, assuming failure from us before we've started?" Red Hood gave off fake hurt and clutched his heart dramatically. "Just brilliant, B."

"We will not fail, father," Damian declared, taking his uniform from Alfred. He was glad to see that the Redbird costume had been modified to have a hood.

* * *

Redbird and Red Hood stood across from the penthouse where the assassin was staying. Redbird was itching to move, to get rid of this threat to Grayson.

"Remember brat, I want the name of the guy who hired her."

"-tt-"

They watched as the assassin seemed to fiddle with some kind of machine. It was a small white box with buttons and a screen which reminded Redbird of a clock. Every movement she made screamed to him. He knew her goal so, why was he crouched here?

He was tired of waiting.

"You can wait all you like, I'm going to stop her," he said to Red Hood. He extended his jump line and swung towards the assassin.

* * *

Redbird groaned. He had hit the ground hard. A flash a bright light hit the moment he reached the assassin and then they both fell onto concrete. His vision was assaulted with light and he fought the assassin blind.

The assassin fled to the rooftops. Blinking enough light out of his eyes to see, Redbird followed her. Somehow, they had gone from night to day, from inside to outside and from high up to ground level.

He could find answers to those questions later. Right now, stopping the assassin came first. He followed her across rooftops until they reached school. Here, the assassin turned around and threw a smoke bomb to blind him.

Redbird cursed and jumped across to the neighbouring rooftop. He was out of the smoke, in time to see the assassin breach the walls of Gotham Academy, heading towards a tiny dark-haired boy.

Redbird wondered if the assassin had more than one target and cursed himself again for not thinking to ask Red Hood that. He jumped across, knowing he wouldn't get there in time.

He had to do something.

* * *

Dick stretched happily in the sun as another school day ended. In fact, it was his favourite day of the week: Friday!

He paused as excited and nervous mumbles started around him. His trained eyes picked up the source right away.

Across the street, a rooftop was covered in smoke. Coming out from the smoke were two figures, one dressed in a dark ninja-like outfit and one dressed in red and black.

Dick tensed as the ninja headed straight for him.

"Dick!" Barbara shouted, but he knew she couldn't do anything, even if she managed to get to him in time.

"Get down!" Another voice called out. It was of a high register like his own but the tone was flat and serious.

Dick ducked, holding his bag up for protection as an escrima stick flew through the air and struck the assassin in the head. He watched as the one in red and black landed and flipped over to stand before him.

"What is her interest in-" they said. Their voice trailed off when they got a good look at him. "Gray...son?"

"Yeah," Dick said, brushing dirt off his hand. He then held it out to the stranger in red and black. "I'm Dick Grayson. Thanks for saving me."

The stranger's face was shocked behind his black mask and he stepped back, pulling his hood over his face.

"I...uh, I have an assassin to take care of," the stranger said, turning back to the assassin, who had recovered and was fleeing.

Dick watched him extend a jump line and case after the assassin, excitement fluttering in his chest. Sure, he had almost died, but it looked like there was a new vigilante in Gotham.

Batman was not going to like this. Dick smiled at the thought.

* * *

Batman had overreacted. More than Robin thought he would.

 _Ugh!_  Superboy sent a particularly frustrated groan through the mental link as he reached another dead end.  _How does anyone find their way around this place?_

 _I have no idea,_  Miss Martian responded. She was invisible and floating high above the buildings but also had no idea where she was going. All the buildings looked the same here and she didn't even have any idea where to go.

 _It's Gotham,_  Kid Flash responded and Miss Martian spotted a red and yellow streak move below her.

Superboy sent back confusion.

_That doesn't explain anything._

_It means, Beware the Bat!_  Robin added to the conversation with a laugh. His cackle echoed over the streets.

 _I ain't scared of the bat,_  Artemis pointed out.  _Meeting him took care of that._

 _Team, focus,_ Kaldur sent, taking over the conversation. They had been invited to Gotham for a mission by Batman himself, which meant they needed to excel.  _Robin, what does this person we are seeking look like?_

_He's wearing a mask and red hooded cape. Black boots, red pants, black and red shirt and he had a utility belt like mine but black, so be careful._

"Great. A red and black robin," Artemis commented sarcastically under her breath. She held her bow in her hand and crept down an abandoned alleyway, her eyes on some thieves crawling out of a third floor window.

Robin's laugh sounded in the area and Artemis decided to throw some of her caution to the wind before he beat her to the criminals. She fired an arrow which exploded in their faces and scared them away from the window and out onto the fire escape.

Robin dropped down and knocked them out, tied them up and jumped down to her.

"Nice shooting. Although, I don't know how civilians will react to having an Arrow in Gotham."

"I don't care what civilians think," she responded. Robin paused and for a moment, she thought it was because of what she said. Instead, he glanced up.

"He's there."

Artemis followed his gaze but didn't see anything. A breeze blew and she thought she caught a flash of red.

"What are you staring at?" She jumped and turned around, arrow in hand and ready to stab the person who snuck up on her.

Her hand was clutched in a tight grip before it even reached him. A raised eyebrow and cocked head.

"I don't know you," he said, "why are you in Gotham?"

"Batman invited her," Robin said, stepping to stand beside her. "And she doesn't know you, so it's even."

"Who invited you?" Artemis demanded to know. She lived in Gotham, for goodness sakes! What right did this guy have to question her presence here?

"I was not invited. I was brought here. By the woman who attacked you earlier today." A head nod in Robin's direction which shocked the young hero.

"I'm sorry? I wasn't attacked earlier today."

"Robin wasn't. Your civilian identi-" the stranger trailed off and clutched his head in one hand. "-tt-" he hissed before collapsing. Miss Martian appeared in the air behind him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but, he was too focused on you two to notice me."

"It's fine," Robin responded, kneeling to check out the stranger's face. He was so young. They were all young but, it was strange to see another young hero. One who didn't seem to have a mentor like they did.

So, why was this stranger out here, saving lives?

"Superboy heard him confront you and Aqualad said to take the chance," Miss Martian rambled.

"It's okay," Robin repeated. "Let's just pick him up and take him back."


	2. Past, Present and a stuck Damian Wayne

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian plays 'nice'.  
>  Batman plays 'cautious'.  
>  It's not going to end well.

 

**Chapter 2 – Past, Present and a stuck Damian Wayne**

* * *

Damian's head pounded. He steadied his breathing and tried to remember what he had been doing.

Dick. He had been talking to Dick. He felt something restraining his wrists.

Handcuffs. Just what he needed.

And someone was poking his cheek.

"I know you're awake."

Damian opened his eyes, intending to glare at the other teenager. Instead, his eyes widened behind his mask.

Red vest, black cape with yellow underside and an 'R' encased in a circle on his chest.

"Robin?" he questioned. It felt weird saying that. He had been Robin for the past few years. Grayson had given him the name and he considered it his.

But, here and now, Grayson was Robin. The name was not his.

While he had been thinking about this, the team had crept closer. Aqualad stood before him and Robin moved back a little now that they realised he was awake.

"Who are you?" Aqualad asked.

Damian looked at him. He glanced around at the rest of the team. Miss Martian, M'gann, he only recognised because she was one of Drake's teammates. He realised how he had come to be unconscious.

"Using mental powers to render me unconscious is a violation of my privacy," he said to her, "I didn't do anything to deserve such treatment."

"I'm sorry," M'gann expressed, floating up in distress. "But we needed to get you here."

"You could have just asked!" Damian pointed out, loudly. He had realised after confronting Dick Grayson, a teenaged Dick Grayson, that he had been transported to the past.

Regardless of all those, 'keep the future a secret,' rules everyone seemed to think applied in situations like this, his father was his best chance of getting home. He didn't know the first thing about how time travel worked whereas he knew Batman had dealt with it before.

"I sought you out," he said to Robin, "as I require an audience with Batman."

"Well, you're going to get it!" Kid Flash pointed out. Aqualad held up a hand to silence him while Robin and Artemis glared at him.

"You'll have to give us a name."

"Redbird," Damian responded, "you can call me that."

"You said you wanted a meeting with Batman, right?" Robin questioned. Damian nodded. "Then, you won't be going anywhere. Batman will come here, okay?"

"Of course he's not going anywhere!" Kid Flash pointed out while the rest of the team nodded in agreement. Robin smirked at them and held out his hand to Damian.

Damian raised an eyebrow.

"The cuffs. I would like them back."

Damian smirked. He should have realised that Robin would figure it out. Grayson had always marvelled at his ability to escape. He pulled out the handcuffs, which he had unlocked right after requesting an audience with Batman, and placed them in Robin's waiting hand.

He took great pride in the baffled looks he received from the rest of the team.

"Where's your training room?" he asked Aqualad. Since he had been the one questioning him, he had a feeling that he might be the leader.

Even though Damian thought Robin was more suited for it. He was the guy who would grow up to lead the Justice League upon Batman's 'death'.

* * *

The team watched Redbird retreat in silence.

"He is odd," M'gann commented, "and I'm certain he reminds me of someone."

"Yeah," Kid Flash agreed. "I don't like it."

"He seems alright to me," Robin commented. Kid Flash stared at him.

"He was rude to Artemis and escaped the handcuffs right in front of us," Kid Flash pointed out. "How is that 'okay'?"

"He's the same as us," Artemis said.

Kid Flash frowned as if he didn't believe her. However, Aqualad did. He told them that they would treat Redbird as a visiting hero and not a criminal, unless Redbird's actions proved otherwise.

* * *

Redbird spent his time in the training room. According to Artemis, the guy was running himself through a tough regime that she didn't recognise. She did say he was skilled.

Robin and Kid Flash played games, Superboy watched while waiting for his turn with the TV, M'gann made cookies and Kaldur spent time down at the beach.

It was almost a regular team morning. Until Batman's arrival was announced and the black-clad man himself walked into the room.

"Where is he?" he demanded to know. He stared at Kid Flash, who dashed off to get Redbird.

Redbird walked in moments later while Batman and Aqualad were discussing Redbird's actions and possibly intentions. He stalked in as if he owned the place and stood with his arms cross over his chest.

"You wanted to see me?" Batman growled at him. Kid Flash smirked at the intimidation Batman was radiating. The rest of the team were the same. Cruel as it was, they did like seeing people get scared of the Batman. Probably because they knew he wasn't always intimidating.

But, even to Robin's surprise, Redbird didn't even flinch.

Redbird snorted.

"Cut the juvenile tactics," he said. "Just ask what you want to ask." Because he knew there would be questions. The faster he gets them over with, the faster they could work on getting him home.

He didn't have to worry about the assassin too much. Her target was still breathing and that meant she would be coming for Dick again.

Two birds, one stone; as Grayson sometimes said.

"You are a child, operating in my city. Why?"

"I was thrown back in time while attempting to halt an assassination. The assassin was sent back with me. My goals are to apprehend them and return to my time. I require your assistance to achieve my second goal."

"What about the assassin?" M'gann asked, curiously.

"I do not require any assistance there. I know the target and I can handle one assassin."

"I want to help!" Robin said, raising his hand. The thud of fear in Damian's chest made him glare darkly at the teen.

He didn't want Grayson anywhere near the assassin. His plan involved luring the assassin away from him.

"Absolutely not."

Robin looked like he was going to fight the issue when Batman spoke again;

"Who is the target?"

"I will not announce his name in present company however, I will say this, I thwarted an attempt on his life earlier today."

Batman mused on this.

"Hey, he is our age, right?" Kid Flash whispered to Robin.

"I think so."

"Why does he talk like that? He sounds so stuck-up."

Robin shrugged in response. Robin didn't really care about how Redbird sounded when he spoke. He wasn't as bad as some of Gotham's elite who attended Bruce's parties. His language was advanced but his words weren't intended to hurt. Most of the time.

* * *

Damian pulled up the holographic computer in his glove and hacked into the Mount Justice computers. He was furious. He had tried being nice and all it had got him was a room in the kiddy-play house.

He had asked Batman for assistance. Not the League. Not the team. Batman. His father.

Batman had told the team to watch him and left. With Robin in tow. After assurances that the League would do everything it could to get him back to his time.

Damian knew the assassin would target Wayne Manor next. It was Dick Grayson's home after all. And, whether his father wanted him to or not, he was going to protect Grayson's life.

Drake might have been the best hacker but he knew enough to download a map and insert a virus which would allow him access to the Zeta tubes. But, this was the team and Damian should have realised that someone would spot him leaving.

"You're not supposed to leave." Damian turned and glared at Kent. He knew the huge lug was one of Drake's friends in the future and that he was a lot less cheerful in this time.

"No one tells me what to do," Damian responded, "I have an assassin to capture."

Superboy raised an eyebrow. He considered Damian's words but;

"I can't let you leave. The Batman told us to watch you."

"So, you follow Batman's orders like a good little solider?" Damain taunted with a smirk. It was the kind of taunt intended to psychologically mess with an opponent and cause them to make mistakes.

It worked but it made Superboy angrier than intended. Instead of trying to grab Damian, he tried to punch him.

Damian ducked and rolled out of the way, a frown marring his face. This was certainly a different Superboy than the one he knew. Could less than a decade really make that big of a difference on his personality?

Damian cursed and flipped over Superboy as he threw another punch. It was too bad that Grayson and father were the ones who carried Kryptonite and that they both refused to let him have any.

Damian twisted around Superboy, too occupied with his goal to notice the hesitation in the clone's manner. He dashed for the Zeta Tube and jumped it.

His virus had done its work. He smirked as the world around him lit up.


	3. Sneaking, Wayne Manor and Dick Grayson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Thanks for all the comments! I love them all (it's part of the reason why I'm updating this again when I should be working on my White Collar stories. Or NaNoWriMo).
> 
> Anyway, Batman/Bruce doesn't know whether Redbird is trustworthy, the assassin comes back and Bruce is keeping Dick out of it, even though Dick known/suspects more than him when it comes to their time travelling visitor. And I know Damian is asked twice about why the assassin is after Dick but, he's asked once by Dick (when Bruce isn't around) and then once by Bruce (the question slipped out).

  

**Chapter 3 – Sneaking, Wayne Manor and Dick Grayson**

* * *

Batman and Robin stepped out of the Batmobile. They took off their masks and Dick Grayson and Bruce Wayne took the stairs up the manor.

"You have something to say?" Bruce said to Dick. The teenager had been quiet with a small frown on his face. Bruce had an idea what Dick was frustrated about.

"You shouldn't have left him there." Dick was talking about Redbird.

"Are you worried about the team?"

"No. They can handle themselves. But, he asked you for help and you left him there."

"The League will get him home. I will work with them to find a quick solution and to track down this assassin Redbird claims came back with him."

"Can I-"  _help?_  he wanted to ask. But, Bruce interrupted with a flat 'no'.

"You were almost killed today."

"Redbird saved me," Dick pointed out, "another reason why we should have brought him back."

"I refuse to risk exposure of our identities to an unknown entity."

"He saved me! As Dick Grayson!" Dick repeated. "He probably already knows! We should be keeping him close and helping him out."

"'Probably' is not a confirmation. And even if he does know, we are not bringing him to the Batcave."

Dick groaned in frustration and gave up. He would go to Redbird the next day and help him out himself. Although, the team might be willing to help too.

"And you're not going to Mount Justice tomorrow," Bruce added, as if he was a mind reader, "I want you here in case the assassin decides to try again."

Dick muttered something about how he could protect himself and stomped up the stairs and out of the Batcave, only giving Alfred a short greeting before heading to his room.

He locked the door and flopped onto his bed. Dick looked out the window as he thought.

It wasn't a probably, he knew that. Redbird knew. He knew that Dick Grayson and Robin were one and the same.

_'I was brought here. By the woman who attacked you earlier today,_ ' he had said.

Brought here from the future. Robin wondered what the future was like and if Redbird knew him there. Was he still Robin? Or was he... Robin shook his head away from those thoughts. He had already decided that he wouldn't take up the Batman mantle. He didn't want to be a leader. He didn't want to have to weigh the mission against his friends' lives.

Dick frowned. The wind blew outside. He was certain he saw a flash of red. He opened his window and stuck his head out.

"Redbird?" he called softly. There was a soft thud as the hero landed above the head of his window. Redbird tilted over so that he was dangling over and was face-to-face with Dick.

"I thought you might spot me," he said quietly. Dick got the feeling Redbird was searching him for something.

Comparing him with himself from the future?

"You escaped," Dick stated. It was the first thing that came to mind. Redbird was supposed to be at Mount Justice.

Somehow, he wasn't surprised that he wasn't.

"Of course," Redbird smirked. He flipped off the window and into the room. "I still have an assassin to catch."

"I didn't get a chance to thank you for saving me," Dick said, feeling that he owed him. Someone had to be on this strange hero's side.

Redbird just waved him off with a, '-tt-' sound and dropped into a lotus position in the corner of his room.

Dick made a questioning sound.

"No assassin will get past me," Redbird explained.

"Are you going to stay like that all night?" Dick questioned in shock. It looked uncomfortable.

"-tt-, of course."

Dick blinked and then shook his head. No way. He pulled out the air mattress from his closet, where he and Wally had left it the last time the speedster stayed the night, and placed it on the ground.

Redbird glared at him with his eyes narrowing behind the mask and his mouth twisting into an annoyed frown.

"Huh, that almost looks like the batglare," Dick commented. The expression faded a bit, giving way to surprise. Dick laughed and pulled out a pillow. "Come on, it'll be fun."

"I have long learnt to be wary when you say 'fun'," Redbird commented. He unclasped his hood and folded it up beside him though.

"We could play games and stay up talking, just like sleepover!" Dick was getting excited now.

"No," Redbird responded flatly. He stood up. "Perhaps this was a mistake. I only intended to make sure that you were not dwelling on the attempt on your life-"

"Why is this assassin after me?" Dick asked, hoping to distract the other boy from his currently trail of thought.

"I do not know. I assume it has something to do with your future actions." Dick bounced on the balls of his feet, silently encouraging him to continue. "Which I will not be explaining."

There was a knock on the door at that moment. Redbird froze while Dick went to answer it.

"Master Dick, I have some milk and cookies for your supper," Alfred said, handing over the tray he was carrying. "I hope you will not stay up too late, even guests need their sleep."

"Yes, Alfie," Dick said, closing the door. He held out the tray to Redbird. "So, staying the night? Alfred's cookies are the best!"

"Pennyworth's cookies are passable," Redbird commented in a complimenting tone as he took one.

* * *

The moon began its decent in the sky and the sun was moments away from appearing on the horizon when there was a soft thud from the roof. Redbird was up in moments, Dick waking at his movement.

"What's-"

"Shush!" Redbird ordered, pulling his escrima sticks out and holding them ready. Moments later, the assassin burst through the window. Redbird landed a kick to their gut, distracting them from their target while Dick moved to the door.

Dick wanted to help but he needed to keep his illusion of being a rich kid. He cursed.

"Will you be alright?" he called to Redbird who was throwing the assassin into the wall.

"I'll be fine! Go!" Redbird called back, right before the assassin sent him crashing into the closet door.

Dick winced in sympathy and bolted down the hallway. He hit a bulky wall and lashed out.

"Dick!"

"Bruce?" Dick took a calming breath and stepped back. "The assassin! Redbird's fighting but he needs help."

"What?"

At that moment, the door to Dick's room burst open as Redbird fell to the ground. The assassin pounced and he kicked up and out, tossing her into the wall. The room beyond it would one day belong to Jason Todd.

"Ugh, who are you?" the assassin questioned, her voice harsh. "Twice you've messed with my job!" She stood cautiously, favouring her right side.

Redbird smirked, glad that she felt his knock to her left side.

Bruce pushed Dick behind him and stepped forward.

"What are you doing in my house?" he demanded to know. He put a little bit of Batman's growl into his voice to make the assassin actually consider responding.

The assassin grabbed Redbird by the hood and Redbird slammed an escrima stick into her injured side in retaliation.

"Stupid brat," the assassin commented before jumping over him and making her escape out the broken window.

Redbird winced as his back prickled with pain. The new cape with hood was not as durable as his previous Redbird cape.

"You okay?" Dick asked. He moved forward to help and Bruce held him back.

"What are you doing in my house?" Bruce repeated to Redbird.

"-tt- Saving Grayon's life," Redbird responded, tilting his head up confidently. "The assassin will keep returning until her job is done." He hoped. Because he wouldn't be able to go home unless she was with him. There was no way he was going to leave the assassin here and Grayson without protection.

"Great," Dick deadpanned. He didn't like the idea of an assassin out for his blood and an overprotective Bruce in response.

There was a polite cough from behind them.

"Sirs, it would appear our guest is injured."

* * *

Damian hissed as Bruce placed a bandage over a particularly annoying injury. His shirt was off but the mask stayed on. It had been his first demand and Bruce had respected it.

Bruce inspected another bruise forming on his shoulder with cautious fingers.

"They're so silent," Dick whispered to Alfred, the silence in the kitchen allowing his voice to travel.

From the small family table in the kitchen/dining room, Bruce and Damian both glared at him.

"I have nothing to say," Damian pointed out.

"While I have questions I know you won't answer."

"Then I'll ask!" Dick decided, raising his hand enthusiastically. "So, Redbird, you know who Batman and Robin are, right?"

"In this time or the future?" Damian responded with a smirk.

Dick let his jaw drop comically.

"He made a joke!"

Bruce glared at Dick and then gave Damian a little knock on the arm.

"Don't encourage him and answer the question."

Damian sighed. There was no way around this question, Dick would know if he lied.

"Yes. I know who Batman and Robin are in this time. Really, you should be thanking me for not spoiling your identities back at 'Mount Justice'."

"Why is there an assassin after Dick?" Bruce asked, his voice taking on the full Batman growl now that he knew he didn't have to hold back.

"I don't know. You ask her," Damian responded with a roll of his eyes. "I assume it has something to do with something Grayson did. There is something in his manner which makes people want to maim him."

"Pure Asterousness?" Dick suggested, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Aster-what?" Damian made a puzzled face.

Bruce sighed.

"Dick, do not add suffixes to your made-up words," he scolded.

Damian tuned out of Dick's explanation-rant about his made-up words which weren't made up, in Dick's opinion. Damian had a feeling the English language would disagree. Bruce pressed a heat pack to Damian's sore muscles and Alfred started preparing the kitchen for breakfast.


	4. Teasing, Time and the Bat Clan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so here we get a little glimpse of the future. It might not be what some people are expecting but it's kind of what I had planned when I started this.
> 
> Also, Red Robin did not charter a pubic flight back to Gotham, he's taking one of the bat planes – Red Hood's just teasing him and he didn't get the chance to correct him.
> 
> Also, NaNoWriMo is finished. I made it! (Yay) So updates should happen more often.

 

**Chapter 4 – Teasing, Time and the Bat Clan**

* * *

Red Hood paced the Batcave like a madman. His hands were flying around as he tried to explain what went wrong, even though he had no idea what went wrong.

"Slow down," Red Robin insisted, having received a frantic call from a frantic Red Hood. Even though they were miles apart, he was trying to do everything he could. Namely, Red Robin was hacking everything he could find and gathering as much information as he could. "What happened to the assassin?"

"I have no clue!" Red Hood huffed his hands moving with the motion of his shoulders. "One moment, all is well, the kid's heading towards the assassin and a fight's about to break out. The next, they're both gone in some kind of bright light!"

"What kind of bright light?"

Red Hood glared at Red Robin. What was the point of all these questions when Nightwing and The Batman were probably going to kill him over losing their little bird?

"Every little piece of information helps."

Red Hood cocked his gun, in full view of the person on the other side of the screen. He did not deserve to be treated like a hysterical witness.

"A flash grenade, I guess," he huffed.

Red Robin hummed and then typed something on his side of the computer. It moved a bit, enough for Red Hood to catch a glimpse of the area around Red Robin.

"Are you…  _flying_?" he questioned incredulously. "In full Red Robin regalia?"

Red Robin paused, his eyes widening behind the lenses of his mask.

"Yes," he responded hesitantly. "Your message came through while I was out with the Titans."

"My message," Red Hood repeated slowly, a smile forming on his face. "The one about Redbird going MIA?" Red Robin didn't respond, which was a confirmation. Red Hood's smile grew wider. "You mean, you were so worried about  _Damian Wayne,_ that you chartered a flight back to Gotham without even taking the time to change?"

Red Robin snorted in disbelief but it lacked real distain. It was a weak cover and they both knew it.

Red Hood wanted to tease more but the sound of an approaching vehicle gave him pause.

"He's back. Wish me luck," he said, hanging up on the other hero. "Hey, Bats. 'Wing. How was patrol?"

"Don't. Nightwing saw the message." Red Hood carefully schooled his expression. He wouldn't dare tease Batman the way he teased Red Robin. Even if he cracked when Nightwing figured out something was up.

"What happened?"

Red Hood shrugged. He must had been feeling suicidal to do that but he figured they might as well get to the killing him bit.

"You lost Damian, Jay. What. Happened?" Nightwing seethed.

"Overprotective much?" Red Hood joked. Then he let the smile drop and responded, "I have no idea. There was a crazy assassin with a crazy light."

"Do you think it was one of Talia's?" Batman questioned.

Red Hood shrugged.

"I only caught word of the assassination and how there was some kind of condition attached to it which kept most people from taking it. Although, the target isn't one to be taken lightly either. That someone actually accepted it was causing waves underground."

"Why are you interested in an assassination?" Nightwing questioned, although something about this was nagging at him. He had yet to figure out what.

"Because you are the target," Batman said to Nightwing before moving over to the computers.

Nightwing smirked at Red Hood and Jason glared from behind his mask. He hefted his helmet in warning; you try anything mushy and I chuck this at you.

But, Nightwing was too busy thinking to actually try anything mushy. The nagging feeling had grown stronger.

"Me as Nightwing or me, Richard Grayson?"

"Second one, I think."

"Did Damian go out as Redbird?" The message had said 'Redbird's gone missing'.

"Yeah. But Alfie switched out the helmet for a hood and mask. A shame really."

Nightwing blinked. A smile grew on his face. He glanced over at Batman and they shared a look. One of those silent ones which no one else could decipher.

"Okay, what's going on?" Red Hood questioned.

Nightwing ignored him and asked Batman, "and how old is Damian?"

Batman glared at him.

"No."

"Come on, it's a possibility." Nightwing was almost whining.

"A possibility we ruled out many years ago. Are you still stuck on that nonsense? Change is inevitable."

"Just answer the question."

Batman sighed and did, knowing that it was better to just let Nightwing have his way. And it was a possibility. A small one. A very small one. One which he really didn't want to explain to his sons.

Nightwing's smile grew. And then he laughed. Red Hood's eyes widened and he glanced between Batman and Nightwing and actually panicked.

Dick  _never_  reacted this way to any of them being in danger, ever!

Nightwing continued laughing and Red Hood stepped away, closer to Batman. Batman was still his old and grumpy self, growing grumpier by the moment.

"Enough!" he finally ordered. "Nightwing and Red Hood, you are going to check out the assassin's apartment. And, Nightwing, you had better bring me solid proof of your theory."

"What theory?" Red Hood questioned. Again, he didn't receive an answer.

* * *

"How old are you?" Dick asked, swinging back and forth on the balcony as he waited for Redbird to change.

"Fourteen," Redbird responded through the door. He had been much more amicable after breakfast.

"Really! So we're almost the same age!" Dick gasped. There were so many things they could do together.

"Whatever you're planning, it needs to stop," Redbird grumbled. The door opened and there he stood in a white shirt, blue jeans, a tight frown and a mask on his face.

"Well, that has to go," Dick said, pointing at the mask. "We can't go anywhere if you keep wearing it."

"Absolutely not."

"It's coming off, solutely not!" Dick responded, jumping him.

"Solutely?"

"If ABsolutely not means 'not going to happen' then 'solutely not' means you're going to let it happen. It's solutely not!"

Redbird fended off the attack.

"Get off me, Grayson! Stop butchering the English language like that or I will cut you!"

Dick blinked and grabbed Redbird's arms, pinning him to the wall.

"Now, now. That's a mean thing to say. And rather dark too." He took the chance Redbird's shock gave him and ripped the mask from his face.

"GRAY-SON!"

Bruce looked up from his paperwork as the furious, drawn out bellow echoed through the house.

"Sounds like the boys are bonding, sir," Alfred commented dryly as he placed Bruce's coffee onto the desk.

Bruce groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. In the distance, there was a faint echo of an overjoyed laugh.

Bonding,  _indeed_.

* * *

The chase ended on the roof, Dick being extremely impressed the Redbird had been able to follow him up there. He flopped down onto the roof and waited for the enraged bird to reach him.

It took less time than he thought for the bird to reach him, red-face from what he assumed was anger with a hand covering part of his face.

"Give it back," he said in a slightly cowed voice. Dick smiled and held out a pair of sunglasses.

"Here, I wear these when I'm off-duty."

Redbird frowned but took the sunglasses and placed them on his face.

"They feel weird," he commented.

"Better get used to them. You only have a few hours before we head back to Mount Justice."

Redbird raised an eyebrow.

"I would rather work this out in the Batcave."

Dick mirrored his expression, adding a head-tilt and upturned mouth.

"Do you really think Bruce will let us?"

"-tt- I don't need his permission." Technically, he did but Grayson had taught him that it's a Robin's duty to do things without permission. Like sneak out on patrol or, in this case, break into the Batcave.

"Well I'm going to Mount Justice to hang with the team. Shouldn't you be with me in case the assassin comes back?"

Redbird cursed. Dick had him there.


	5. Talking, Bioship and The Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team and Damian play nice.

**Chapter 5 – Talking, Bioship and The Team**

* * *

Wally stared at the dark brown, shorn and spiky head of Redbird. Sunglasses replaced mask and civvies replaced costume.

Be nice. Be polite. M'gann was watching and she had made a big deal about Redbird being in a strange place, years away from his own. He refused to admit that some of what she said made sense; that Redbird was surrounded by unfamiliar things and was lashing out in response or attaching himself possessively to the familiar things which hadn't changed.

Apparently, Dick was still Dick no matter what time you're in.

Therefore, instead of a hostile, 'what are you doing with him?', Wally opted for a kinder, "are you joining us?"

"-tt- Joining you for what, West?"

"Assassin hunting, duh!"

Damian tried not to flinch at how childish Wally made it sound. Before he could say anything, Dick jumped between them.

"If you want to go assassin hunting, then I suggest we leave," he said, looking at Wally over the top of his sunglasses. "Soon."

Damian raised a suspicious eyebrow. First, Dick insisted that they leave out the window and sneak out of the manor grounds and now he was suggesting they leave Mount Justice when they just arrived.

Was he trying to throw the assassin off his trail? If so, he was doing a poor job of it.

"Whatever you say, Rob. Hey, team! Let's go!"

"Finally!" Artemis huffed, tossing her blond ponytail back over her shoulder and clipping her bow to its place beside her quiver.

"Artemis is most eager to chase after this assassin reported in Gotham," Kaldur informed them.

Damian tried not to care but he found the archer's enthusiasm slightly encouraging.

"Of course! Redbird is a friend and the assassin is after someone he's protecting. It's our job to assist!" M'gann said, as if it was obvious and clenching her fists like she wanted to cheer.

The team went to the hanger and Damian found his jaw dropping at the sight of the bioship. It was red and egg shaped with two prongs curled around and to front.

It kind of reminded him of the flying Batmoblie back home, the first red and black one he made for Dick to drive when they first started out as Batman and Robin.

"How does it work?" slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it.

M'gann explained the dynamics of the bioship to him and he listened as they boarded and flew off. It was interesting and he filed a few ideas away for his plans when he returned home. While the alien biological construct wouldn't work for him, it contained elements which would be useful in his creations.

* * *

"Is he actually having fun?" Kid Flash asked Dick as the other changed into his Robin uniform in private quarters M'gann willed into existence for him. "And why weren't you guys in your uniforms when you arrived?"

"Redbird can have fun." Dick refrained from mentioning that Redbird's choice of fun seemed to align with Bruce's. He wondered what made Redbird so serious when he was only their age. "And Batman was probably watching the Batcave in case I decided to leave. Hopefully he doesn't realise that I'm using the spare uniform." Dick didn't want to delude himself into thinking that Batman didn't know about the spare he kept at Mount Justice.

"Do I want to know why you're worried about Batman noticing you leaving?"

"He told me to stay home while he looked into the assassin and Redbird."

"And do we have a name for Redbird? Besides Redbird?"

"Nope."

"That's great." Kid Flash hoped he managed to bite back a little of the sarcasm he was feeling but, being a bat meant that Robin probably heard it anyway.

"Hey, you want to know? You ask," Robin countered, coming out in costume. "Alright, M'gann, I'm finished."

He walked out to the cockpit where everyone was and was immediately met with furious, dark blue-almost-grey eyes hidden behind black glasses.

"Where's my uniform?" Redbird demanded. Robin could almost hear the unspoken questions behind the query.

"Uh, I forgot," Robin admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He wasn't used to having to think about another person's needs. "Sorry."

"-tt- I guess I can fight in this." Redbird motioned to his civvies. Robin blinked in surprise as Redbird moved back to his seat and sat down. "What's our location and ETA?"

"Gotham City and about fifteen minutes," M'gann responded.

The team fell silent, eyes glancing to their newest member, however temporary he might be. Some of them didn't trust him but most of them could agree that they didn't know him.

"Um... Redbird?" M'gann started having caught a question Kid Flash was unconsciously projecting. "Do you have a name? Other than Redbird that is."

He looked at them and his mouth opened as if he did immediately think of a name.

"You know, like how I'm Megan and Superboy is Conner. Or maybe you're like Artemis-"

"Who's Arty."

"Who's Arty?" Artemis growled at Kid Flash, pulling out an arrow. "It's Artemis!"

Damian had to kick himself. Of course they weren't inquiring to his other hero name, they weren't even aware that he had another hero name; that he was the fourth boy to hold the mantle of Robin.

He weighed his options. There weren't many negatives to telling them his name; his mother was the only one to use it before he went to live with his father. For the first decade of his life, he was known as  _Ibn al Xu'ffasch_.

But it had been obvious the other day that this team didn't know the identities of Batman and Robin.

"I'll tell Robin and no other," he responded. "It's only fair since I know his."

Kid Flash huffed but kept his mouth shut.

"How do you know his?" Artemis questioned in surprise. "Do you know him in the future?"

"You expect me to answer that?" Redbird responded, the bite coming back to his words. "Most certainly you are one of Que-, sorry, Arrow's."

"Excuse me?" Artemis hissed with her hands on her hips and trying to appear intimidating.

"Artemis, he probably knows because he works for Batman in the future," Robin pointed out. He then turned to Redbird. "Right?"

Redbird made an annoyed -tt- but nodded his head in confirmation.

"Of course, you Bats must have some kind of code or something for when time travel happens," Kid Flash sighed.

Robin and Redbird both stared at him with similar incredulous expressions.

"Such a code would not be a failsafe," Redbird pointed out, "and it's foolish to even consider something like that. There are questions I could answer to prove my association to Batman but they're no guarantee."

"'Batman and Redbird'." Kid Flash snorted. "Not really a dynamic duo."

"Of course not. It's 'Batman and Robin'. Always will be." Damian knew that no one was willing to change that. He wasn't going to mess with it.

While he didn't initially understand Robin's role and the reason why Drake always claimed that 'Batman needs a Robin', the role itself grew on him.

Redbird didn't notice the curious looks he was getting. Robin had put together a few things he said and didn't like the picture it was forming.

There was no way Batman would pass the mantle of Robin to another, right? But he didn't see himself being Robin forever, even if he didn't become the Batman.

* * *

Artemis looked over at the large gate and metal fence surrounding a huge property as they landed.

Wayne Manor. She never thought she would ever get this close to it. She had a Wayne Scholarship, even though she had no idea what she had done to get it, but the few Wayne events aimed at scholarship students were held in Gotham.

She wondered what it was like for Dick Grayson to live there. It looked huge. Did such a tiny kid need all that space?

Artemis looked over a Redbird and wondered how he managed to get in. Robin had explained that there had been another attack on Dick Grayson and that the assassin seemed to have some grudge against him. Redbird had intercepted the attack but they knew the assassin wouldn't give up. Not after two failed attempts.

"Just how much of a threat is this assassin?" Artemis mumbled under her breath.

"Enough." She jumped at Redbird's voice. When had he gotten that close? She hid her surprise as a snort of disdain.

"Not if they've failed two attempts to kill a single rich brat."

Redbird cocked an eyebrow.

"Dick Grayson is under my protection," he said, his voice low and almost like a hiss. "That's why the assassin has failed. And will continue to fail."

Artemis' mouth dropped open at the declaration.

"What makes Dick Grayson so special?" she asked after a few moments. Money?

"Everything." Dick was the first to trust him.

Artemis gave him a confused look but Redbird didn't elaborate.

 _[Come on!]_ Robin said over the mental link Miss Martian set up. _[We have an assassin to track down.]_


	6. Fights, Secrets and Bruce's son(s)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick is upset.  
> Damian attempts to understand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, another chapter so soon after the previous. A big thank you to everyone who has commented and left Kudos, it really helps to focus on getting this done if I know you're waiting for it.
> 
> As Nameless on Fanfiction.net has pointed out _"if you bother to consider it, you will find what we call "Sentimental Damian.""_
> 
> There is more 'Sentimental Damian' in this chapter as Damian makes attempts at understanding human emotions; he long ago passed Bruce in terms of understanding other people's emotions but he just doesn't make the effort with most people. (Also, a note for later in the story, Wally/Kid Flash is excluded from Damian's count on purpose and for reasons).
> 
> Finally, I've added a picture to chapter 3 (Sneaking, Wayne Manor and Dick Grayson), if you feel like checking it out.

 

**Chapter 6 – Fights, Secrets and Bruce's son(s)**

* * *

How did it go so wrong?

Damian tried to see the expression in Dick's eyes but the mask blocked them. It didn't block the way the younger boy's mouth had dropped open, the defeated slump of his shoulders and the angry, betrayed tremor in his clenched fists.

Damian really needed to see his eyes. To see the worry which would be there in the older version.

Dick had to be worried because why would he be angry?

"I-"

"Is what she said true?" Dick asked. "Are you really...?"

"Really, what?" Something curled in Damian's gut.

"Bruce's son."

* * *

They had spotted the assassin jumping over the fence and dashing into the trees which covered the property. The team went after her, splitting up soon after.

It had been a bad idea. Her goal had been to split up the team so she could get to her target.

Robin had parried her first move. Her second move had knocked him into a tree. Damian covered the opening that gave her by knocking her away from Robin.

He forgot he wasn't in his uniform. She pushed him away and was about to kill him when she noticed something.

As Damian waited for the final blow, she looked him up and down.

"I didn't realise earlier because of the changed costume but you're Robin, aren't you?" A toothy and savage grin lit her features. "That explains why you're so determined to protect Richard Grayson. You're Wayne's biological son, the youngest, Damain." Her tone took on a patronising childish tone as she mocked, " _protecting big browther as best you can_? How adorable."

Damian flinched against a rising wave of anger. How he would have loved to take his sword and slice this assassin to ribbons. Unfortunately, his sword was about a decade away from his possession and hidden under his bed. Also, Red Hood had stated that he wanted the assassin alive for questioning.

"There are no big brothers to protect you now," the assassin pointed out, pulling out a large sword. Damian reached for his escrima sticks (not there) and ducked. Before the assassin could finish him off, he reached into his utility belt (never leave home without it) and pulled out some smoke bombs. Using those he clouded the assassin's vision.

The Team gathered moments later, summoned by Robin's call to arms over their mental link. Redbird had heard it, which is why he knew to move out of the way right before Superboy came crashing down right before the assassin.

One short fight later, they had the assassin tied up and ready for transport back to base. Miss Martian forced her unconscious with her mental powers, similar to what they did to Redbird back in the beginning.

* * *

They reached the mountain and Robin stormed off to his room, not even giving Batman a passing glance.

"What. Happened?" Batman demanded to know in a low growl.

Everyone looked to Redbird and Redbird stared at the ground. While the team hadn't heard the words which had been passed between him and Robin, they knew that Robin was mad at him.

"I-I don't know." Redbird looked up at Batman, wishing it was Grayson before him. Grayson was one of the people he went to when he needed human interactions explained. "Is he angry? Why is he angry?"

"Because you did something!" Kid Flash informed him, angry in place of his absent friend.

"I didn't!" Redbird shot back.

Batman silenced them with a glare and then turned to Martian Manhunter and Black Canary.

"Canary, debrief the Team. Martian Manhunter and Redbird, come with me. It's time we do something we should have done earlier."

Damian swallowed but followed, feeling upset that Dick was upset and not liking it one bit. He had no idea what he had done to set the younger version of Grayson off.

"Can I speak to Robin?" he asked as he followed them down the hall to one of the unused rooms. He noticed that it was the room they had tried to lock him in the first night.

And this time he was without his gloves.

"When we are done. Sit on the bed."

"Why?"

Batman glared and was about to repeat the order when Martian Manhunter spoke up;

"With your consent, I would like to take look at your mind and determine whether you are a threat."

Redbird shivered at the thought of someone else in his thoughts but he sat on the bed. As Martian Manhunter placed his hands on the sides of his face, Damian found himself flashing back to the Manor grounds.

* * *

_"...but you're Robin, aren't you?"_ A savage grin.

 _"…Wayne's biological son, the youngest, Damain… There are no big brothers to protect you now."_ Dread coming over him as he realised it was true. Realisation hit. He missed his brothers, even Drake.

 _"Is what she said true?" Dick asked. "Are you really...?"_ Did it matter?

 _"Really, what?" Something curled in Damian's gut._ Again.

_"Bruce's son."_

_Dick had to be worried because why would he be angry?_ Why was he angry?

* * *

Martian Manhunter jolted back, pulling the sunglasses off at the same time. Damian glared up at him with an expression which resembled Bruce Wayne when he was in uniform but with the cowl down. Martian Manhunter had only seen it once and that had been in Robin's memories but he recognised it instantly.

"Oh dear," he said, realising what had Robin riled up. He felt Batman stiffen behind him. Batman suspected something too.

"What?" Damian demanded to know.

"I can explain why Robin," Martian Manhunter paused and then decided to correct himself as he felt the prick of disorientation from the young teen, "Dick is… upset with you. All you have to do is answer one question.

"Is everything the assassin said true?"

Damian blinked and tried to recall everything the assassin said, sifting through each piece of information and assessing its validity.

"I believe so. There might be minor untruths and information I cannot confirm but most of it appears to be truthful."

"Go see Dick," Martian Manhunter said, blocking Batman from taking action to the contrary. Damian wouldn't hurt Dick, he knew that. "Talk to him and explain the assassin's words."

Damian's head tilted in confusion, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand.

"But, why is he angry? You said you would explain."

Martian Manhunter gave a silent sigh. He was not the best person to explain human relations.

"You should ask Dick himself. However, I believe he thinks that you will replace him."

Damian's blue eyes widened.

"What?" he snorted in disbelief. "That's impossible." But the boy didn't stay to argue. Instead, he jumped off the bed and moved out of the room at a quick pace with the grace and stalk of someone used to wearing a cape.

"Do I want to know?" Batman asked Martian Manhunter in his low, gravelly voice.

"He is your son." And he left that baffled bat with that.

* * *

Damian stood before Robin's room. He thought about the green martian's words and dismissed them. Grayson had never shown any signs of feeling replaced when he turned up. Never. Drake, yes. Todd, yes. Grayson, no.

"How long are you going to stand there?" Frustration clouded Dick's voice as the door automatically opened. Damian stepped through automatically, his eyes scanning the room.

Dick was lying on the bed, mask off and showing his red eyes which also looked watery. He was hugging his pillow close and glaring at Damian.

A few moments of silence passed and then Dick sighed.

"Well? Did you want something?"

Damian opened his mouth and then closed it. This person… he's different to the Dick Grayson Damian knows. He's grace and friendship, those traits Damian had seen while on missions and with the team. He's also alone. His friends as Dick didn't know about Robin and his friends as Robin didn't know about Dick.

This Dick's circle was limited to two. Bruce and Alfred. In a rush, Damian realised that his presence threated to take those people away.

Hadn't Damian felt this way a number of times? Worried that his father would look past him for Grayson, Drake, even Todd.

At least he had Grayson to turn to. And Todd. And Drake. And Alfred. Colin. Now that he thought about it, he had a number of people.

Dick flinched as Damian moved to sit at the end of the bed. After a moment hesitation, Damian pulled his feet up onto the covers and edged closer.

Dick watched curiously as Damian moved closer with a serious expression of concentration on his face. He felt some of his frustration ebb away at the sight and the thought that Damian was a lot like Bruce.

Damian reached out and… poked him in the arm. Dick jolted away like it was an electric shock.

"What's that for?"

"I am offering my support through a display of physical contact," Damian responded in a serious tone. But, contrary to his tone, a smile grew on his face. "I have a 'brother' who insists that pokes and other forms of slightly painful kinship are forms of 'manly bonding'." Catching the disbelief on Dick's face, he added, "it's not you. You're the 'brother' who insists on hugs and ice cream. Do take note: I approve of ice cream, not of hugs."

Dick's mouth twitched into a smile and then into a frown.

"You're messing with me, right?"

Damian smirked, his teeth glinting in the light.

"Of course. I learnt from the best. Now, ice cream."

"Can the team come?"

Damian's smile faded into a playful (Dick hoped) glare.

He huffed, "fine."


	7. Understandings, Ice-cream and the Batman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Team goes for ice cream.  
> Batman talks to his son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: The 'good little solider' comment Superboy makes references events from chapter 2.

 

**Chapter 7 - Understandings, Ice-cream and the Batman**

* * *

Going out meant everyone in civvies. M'gann turned her skin pink, Kaldur pulled on a blue and black jacket with a high collar to hide his gills and, oddly enough, Superboy turned his shirt inside out.

"No 'S' symbol," he explained when Damian asked.

"Is it alright if we call you Damian?" Artemis asked, since Robin had told them his name.

"Go ahead, I don't care." And he didn't. Especially since Robin's alternative name suggestion for him while out of costume was 'Red' (he was neither Todd nor Drake, thank you). They took the bioship and parked out of sight before walking towards a place which sold ice cream.

"So, you've made up?" Megan asked Robin and Damian. Damian glared at her while Robin told her that it was just a misunderstanding. "That is good."

They got their ice cream and sat in the local park while they ate.

"Ahh, this is nice," Wally commented, lounging on the grass.

"Is he always like that?" Damian asked Robin.

"Kid Flash?"

"No." Damian nodded towards Conner, who was sitting underneath a tree and watching families play.

"Superboy? He's quiet but I guess?" Robin licked his chocolate ice cream which was covered in sprinkles and frowned. "He's still upset about Superman rejecting him."

"What are you talking about?" Superman treated Conner like family, at least according to Conner and Timothy.

"Superboy was cloned from DNA taken from Superman and trained to be a weapon. Superman didn't approve and refuses to look after him." Robin frowned and Damian could almost see the gears in his head turning, trying to figure out a way to reunite what he saw as family. Some day he would be using those thoughts to attempt to reunite his own family and keeping them from killing each other. Damian didn't want to admit it but he kind of succeeded.

He stood up and walked over to Conner and sat down beside him, leaving Dick to his planning.

"I know you could hear us," Damian said as he sat down.

"I don't care. Everyone knows," Conner responded in a growl. "Superman hates me. I'm just a 'good little solider' and a weapon."

"You're not. I've seen weapons and they don't spend their time eating ice cream in the park with friends," Damian corrected.

Conner looked at him and then at his ice cream, which had started melting over his hand.

"What'cha talking about?" Robin asked, bouncing over. Wally was awake and walking over as well, matching Robin's stride.

"How weapons don't spend their days eating ice cream with friends," Damian responded bluntly.

"That is true," Wally commented.

"You know you just agreed with the kid you've been calling 'the demon brat' behind his back," Artemis said, dropping down from the tree with a smirk.

Wally flustered and chased after her as she bolted down the path, sticking out her tongue. Robin gave Damian an apologetic look.

"And so you all manage to grow up except West," Damian commented. "I always knew he was juvenile."

Robin snorted back a laugh.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell him that."

M'gann ran over, giggling at the sensation of grass tickling her feet. She pulled Conner to his feet and suggested they go over to the pond and look at the ducks. Damian made a comment about shoes which no one paid any attention to.

* * *

Batman didn't know what to do. He had a son. A biological son who spent his time helping others, if the Redbird costume and the circumstances that landed him in the past were any indication. It was more than he could have ever hoped for.

Except, Dick hadn't taken the news so well.

He sighed, ran hands over his face and wished that Alfred was at the mountain to give advice.

"They're back," Black Canary informed him, although he knew the moment the ship entered the mountain's airspace. "Do you need a moment?"

"No," he responded standing up. This was his to deal with. "Take the rest of the team for training while I speak with Robin and Redbird."

Black Canary nodded although she had one piece of advice for him.

"Don't screw this up."

The team walked in and Batman was surprised to see Redbird conversing with Kaldur, while Superboy, Robin and Kid Flash chatted away behind them.

There was a small smile on Superboy's face and what looked like ice cream splattered on his shirt.

"Boys," Black Canary muttered under her breath when she saw them. "Kid Flash, go brush that grass out of your hair," she order, "Superboy, change your shirt and leave that one to be washed. Now, where are M'gann and Artemis?"

"Um, here?" M'gann said, appearing in the air. She was tapping her fingers together nervously. "Artemis is outside, um, drying off."

"Drying off?" Black Canary questioned.

"Kid Flash knocked her into the pond," Robin reported with a giggle.

"Only because Damian pushed me!" Kid Flash countered.

"Damian?" Black Canary questioned.

"Damian is Redbird," Kaldur informed them. "And he didn't push Kid Flash, he tripped him."

"It was asterous," Robin commented.

"You're only saying that because you don't have an angry archer trying to kill you," Kid Flash moaned. "It was a disaster."

"Heavy on the 'dis'?" Robin queried. Black Canary interrupted;

"Go get cleaned up. Robin and Redbird report to Batman and I'll meet everyone else in the training room."

"I'll get Artemis," M'gann said.

Kaldur and Redbird nodded respectfully to each other before moving their separate ways.

"What were you talking about?" Robin asked as the others moved where they needed to be.

"I wished to inquire as to why Aqualad was the leader and the qualities which made him so. My predecessors have all lead teams with varying success and it is something I will need to be able to do one day, in order to take my father's place as Batman."

"Predecessors?" Robin questioned. Damian ignored him and Batman cleared his throat, indicating that it was his turn to talk.

"So... uh, Damian. We have the assassin in custody and Martian Manhunter is currently questioning her about who hired her and her mission here." Mission reports, he could do that. "She will at least have to answer truthfully about whether we can expect any more assassins from the future before we hand her over to you. As for getting you back home, we hope our questioning of the assassin reveals her method. Failing that, we have our best people working on alternate options."

"And in the meantime, he can stay with us?" Robin supplied.

Batman nodded. Damian raised an eyebrow. Before, it had been stay at Mount Justice. What had changed?

"So you want to keep an eye on me personally," Damian realised. Batman knew now that he was his son and wanted to make sure he wouldn't reveal any secrets.

"I know I can't ask too much about the future," although he wanted to, "but I would like to get to know you before we send you back."

"What? Why?"

"You're a brave young lad so why wouldn't I?"

Damian's mouth dropped open. He turned to Robin, hoping Dick would be able to tell him if this was normal.

Damian missed Batman turning to Robin too, with an expression urging him to help.

Robin giggled under to the almost-identical gazes.

"Come on," he said, turning towards the Zeta tubes.

* * *

Bruce cornered Dick on their way up to the manor, while Damian was busy talking to Alfred about his dietary requirements.

"This doesn't change anything between you and me," he said to Dick.

"Yeah, I know," Dick responded. But he couldn't stop thinking about how Damian had said 'brothers' earlier. If Damian saw him as a brother, did that mean Bruce saw him as a son?

It was odd to think about. Not unpleasant, just odd.


	8. Nightmares, Questions and Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damian is chased by (dream) demons while, in the future, he's the 'Demon Brat stuck in time'.

**Chapter 8 – Nightmares, Questions and Demons**

* * *

Dick scrunched his nose up at the food on Damian's plate. There was something missing.

"Where's the meat?" There was a space on the plate between the potatoes and salad where the meat should have been. Dick had some as did Bruce. Damian's plate was the only one missing it. "Did we run out?"

"Young Master Damian is a vegetarian," Alfred explained, "he doesn't eat meat."

"You don't eat meat?" Dick gasped in awe. Damian nodded and tilted his head. No one in his time had acted like it was a big deal.

He looked over at his father and noticed the thoughtful look he was getting.

"An admirable decision," Bruce commented. Damian felt a glow in his gut and face as well as some confusion. It was never this easy to get notice and praise from his father in the future.

"-tt- I'm not looking to be praised for it." With that said, he stabbed his fork through a roasted bit of potato and began eating.

Dick giggled behind his mouth while Bruce shot Alfred a slightly baffled look.

Alfred made a musing hum.

"Reminds me of another young boy I used to know." A pointed looked at Bruce. "Sometimes I wonder if he grew up."

Damian's mouth dropped open while Dick giggled again, his face starting to go red from lack of breath.

* * *

_Wayne Manor was silent. He dashed through the empty halls which appeared to have holes punched through them. Gunshots sounded in the distance and in his dream-state, he knew them to be the Red Hood's guns._

_He passed an urn on the mantle which the cat he was following knocked the ground, spilling ashes everywhere. Even without looking, he knew what the stain on the carpet looked like._

_It made his stomach turn._

_The cat sped up and he increased his pace and increased his heart-rate, kicking off walls, flipping over the banister and skidding across the ground of the foyer. His feet hit something and he fell across a body._

_A large adult body, lithe and muscular and strong. A flash of blue turned to a flash of red as he moved back._

_Pale, covered in blood and not breathing was the body of the first Robin. Horrified but unable to stop, he pulled the mask off._

_Blue eyes stared into the distance, wide, clouded and unseeing._

_'No!'_

* * *

No! Damian's eyes shot open as a muffled cry echoed through the room. For a moment, he thought it had been him; that he had been weak enough to make a sound. But, no. He turned to check on Dick (still breathing, he was still breathing), who was trembling into his sheets, his face pressed so far into the pillow that Damian wondered how he was still breathing.

"Grayson?" he questioned, poking the sheets cautiously. He took a deep breath and shook the other teen. "Dick?"

Blue eyes opened, wet with unshed tears.

"Da…mian?" Dick mumbled, sitting up.

"You were having a nightmare," Damian said, not mentioning his own terror inducing sleep.

"Oh. Yeah. 'Be'n a while."

Dick looked at him for a few moments before taking his hand and sliding out of bed.

"Where are we going?" Damian whispered, not wanting to be caught walking around the manor at night.

Dick didn't respond, just quietly pulled him along. Then he stopped in front of a door.

The Master Bedroom. Dick knocked once and opened the door, letting himself in.

Damian watched, his heart-rate still not returned to normal, as the large figure in the bed shifted and rose.

"Dick?" Bruce said, sounding alert. Dick shifted, leaving Damian exposed.

"We had nightmares," Dick explained walking over and climbing up onto the bed. He pulled Damian with him, who didn't feel like denying his explanation.

Bruce sighed but manoeuvred Dick over to one side and shifted so that Damian had space on the other.

"You're getting too old for this," he muttered to Dick as he pulled the sheets back over them.

Finally, Dick let go of Damian's hand and curled up to one side of Bruce, seeking comfort and warmth after a terrifying time.

Damian shifted and a hand wrapped over his head and around his shoulders, pulling him close. He gave his father a curious glance as he had only been shifting onto his back.

"Go to sleep," Bruce murmured to him before closing his eyes.

Damian did as he asked. Next he knew, Alfred was pulling open the curtains and wrecking the comfortable atmosphere with crazy notions of appropriate times to be up and offerings of breakfast.

"Alfie, it's Sunday," Dick whined, burrowing his head further into the sheets.

"Which is why I let you sleep in later than usual, Young Master Dick. Up. Breakfast will be served shortly."

Three synchronised groans sounded. Damian found himself reflexively trying to cover himself with the sheets by wriggling down in an attempt to recapture some of the comfortable atmosphere from before.

* * *

Two dark shadows let themselves into an empty penthouse in Gotham city. It was stripped bare and there were only essentials and a work table in it.

"You sure this is the assassin's place?" Nightwing questioned as he opened the empty fridge. "Doesn't seem like anyone's here."

Red Hood huffed and lent against the wall.

"This is where the assassin was. Where the brat vanished too." Nightwing made a musing sound as he checked over the work table. There were random bits of machinery hanging around but nothing to tell him what had been built here.

"These won't make a gun or a bomb," Red Hood commented, looking them over.

Nightwing waved him off, because he already knew that. In fact, he would bet they were the leftover pieces of something he and Batman had only seen once before.

Red Hood noticed the look on his face and frowned.

"You're hiding something. Both you and 'the boss'." He crossed his arms and ordered Nightwing to spill.

"It's just an idea. A memory from long ago…" Whatever it was, it made Nightwing smile in a nostalgic and soft way. He barked a laugh and turned to Red Hood. "Bats and I have often fought over this."

Red Hood threw his hands up in defeat and went to see if there was any food in the pantry or cupboards. It was infuriating how Nightwing had managed to answer his question without answering it. In fact, he had more questions now and was hoping for something to save him from the urge to get into another fight.

"Am I late?" Red Robin dropped in through the window. Then, hopefully, "have you found him?"

"I wouldn't know," Red Hood growled, shooting Nightwing a look.

Red Robin looked between them, his shoulders slumping in a silent sigh. He pulled up the holographic computer in his glove and started typing. Sensors scanned the room without notice and the computer processed the data.

"What's going on?" Red Robin asked, while he sifted through the information.

"Nightwing totally knows something. And he's not telling!"

Red Robin shot Nightwing a look; one silently indicating that if he could not deny this then he was an idiot.

Nightwing didn't deny it.

"Look, it's just a little thing. A team thing back when I was Robin." Bringing up the doomed team, made Red Robin flinch. Red Hood even looked apologetic, having been on the team for a time. After the destruction of Mount Justice, there had been a falling out and Robin, before becoming Red Robin, took any members who didn't want to join the Justice League or go solo and started the Teen Titans.

Red Robin's computer beeped and they all moved closer to hear what the results were, glad for the change of topic.

"This doesn't make sense," Red Robin muttered, alternating between swiping at the screen and typing on the keyboard. "These results seem to suggest-

"A temporal rift," he finished in unison with Nightwing. The oldest hero there had a huge smile on his face.

"Wait? What does that mean?" Red Hood demanded to know while Nightwing moved around the apartment. "Is the demon brat stuck in time or something?"

"It would run in the bloodline," Red Robin commented. "Who knew he wanted to be this much like Batman?"  
"We should have," Nightwing said, that smile still on his face. He had packed up the pieces left on the table and was heading towards the window, ready to leave.

And they should have. Even if they thought the future had changed. Even if the memories had faded with time. He remembered Redbird as looking like a young Bruce as well as the stilted kindness Redbird had shown but even those were more impressions than memories.

It had been years.

There was one thing they had managed to give the time travelling hero, to keep some mark of his existence in their time.

"He's not going to explain, is he?" Red Robin dryly asked Red Hood as Nightwing leapt out the window.

Red Hood shrugged and moved to follow, they could at least make sure Nightwing wasn't making a fool of himself. Or they could watch Nightwing make a fool of himself. Either worked for him.


	9. Parties, Goodbyes and Travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for Redbird to return to his time.   
>  But, the team isn't just going to let him leave.

**Chapter 9 – Parties, Goodbyes and Travel**

* * *

Damian placed the mask over his eyes and pulled his hood up.

"So, I'm going home?" he asked, looking over at Batman.

"The assassin gave us the information on how she time travelled in return for not forcing answers about her contract." Batman didn't sound happy about that agreement but he hadn't been the one to make the final decision.

"I don't like this," Robin said, "how do we know she told the truth?"

"The League is not entirely incompetent," Batman responded as they started out towards the Zeta tube in Gotham city. "We used every lie detection technique in the book. In addition, our team went over the device and discovered that it appears to work the way she described."

Redbird nodded his understanding as Robin pouted in the back seat. Batman and Robin glared at each other for a few moments while Redbird went ahead. Redbird decided to give them a few moments alone to work out whatever weird atmosphere was around them.

"We can't keep him," Batman said. "He doesn't belong in this time."

"I know," Robin responded. Damian had a family in the future, one he needed to get back to. "But I don't have to like it."

"He'll be departing from Mount Justice. I assume you already told the team?"

Robin nodded, just as Batman expected. The man smiled to himself with none of the expression showing on his face as he wondered what Redbird's reaction might be.

Redbird chose that moment to tell them to hurry up and activate the Zeta tube for him.

Robin smiled and bounced over. Redbird raised a suspicious eyebrow and tilted his head.

"Trust me, okay?" Robin said, right before pushing Redbird into the tube.

* * *

**_Recognised; A08, Redbird; 02, Batman; B01, Robin._ **

"They're here!" Kid Flash called out, zooming around and making sure everything was still right.

"A08?" Redbird questioned in confusion the moment Batman stepped out.

"You're in the computer," Batman stated, with an unspoken, 'this is a privilege, treat it right.'

He was in the computer? Why?

"But, I'm leaving?"

"Yeah, but that won't stop you from using it in the future, should you need to get to the Justice League for anything; like pulling Batman away from the monitor," Robin said with a smile and practically bouncing with glee. "I programmed you in myself."

A smile grew on his face. Despite himself, Redbird was touched by this display of trust. Unfortunately, Robin's next few words send a shiver of fear down his spine.

"And we're not done yet!"

Robin grabbed his hand and pulled him down to the kitchen and lounge.

"Surprise!"

Redbird flinched at the cry and his free hand had a knife in it before he registered the team standing around.

"Oh, you brought your own knife!" M'gann commented, flying over with a cake in her hands. "Want to cut your cake?"

"Megan, that really only applies for birthdays," Robin pointed out, "this is a going away party."

"Are you insane? I was only here two, almost three days," Redbird stated. "That is not long enough to require a," he took a shuddering breath, "party."

"Let me guess, his parties are still the chore they are in this time," Robin whispered to Redbird while pointing at Batman. "This'll be better, trust me."

"Is anyone else disturbed by how fast he pulled out that knife?" Kid Flash questioned. The only people who paid any attention to his comment were Artemis and Superboy. Artemis figured that Batman's show of trust in Redbird would have to do for them and, really, she couldn't complain. They had let her in, even though she knew Batman knew her sister was an assassin and she had been trained as one too. And Superboy didn't know if what Redbird did was that great and took his cues from Artemis.

Redbird was pulled over to the table where the group surrounded him.

"We have gathered to say goodbye to Redbird," Kaldur announced before cake. "And Megan insists that say something as I am team leader." Pause. Kaldur looked at Redbird, whose cheeks were a light brush of pink. "Despite how long you have been here, we consider you part of the team. May we meet again in the future."

The team murmured agreements and Redbird couldn't help feeling that this was a little ridiculous. However, Robin smiled at him and even Batman was hiding in the shadows so he decided to let them have their fun.

"Now, cake!" Kid Flash announced. M'gann knocked his hand away as he reached for it.

Robin smirked and cut a slice. It was a simple strawberry shortcake, with cream and strawberries on top.

Somehow Redbird had an idea what was going to happen before it did. He guess that everyone else did, judging by how all eyes were on Robin and Kid Flash.

"You want cake?" Robin questioned with his haunting giggle. A moment later, Kid Flash's face was covered in cake.

Artemis howled with laughter and even Redbird snickered. M'gann giggled and Superboy smirked. Kaldur sighed and reached out to cut cake for everyone else.

* * *

The party ended with two simple words from Batman.

"It's time."

Groans came from the teenagers. Redbird jumped down from the back of the couch where he had been defending himself from Artemis' balloon attacks. Kid Flash popped one last balloon, Superboy twitched and moved closer to Redbird as if he didn't want to let him go and Kaldur sheathed his water-bearers with a sad huff.

M'gann was the only one who had enough courage to give Redbird a hug. Redbird grumbled through the hug but didn't attack her; he had been expecting the hug.

Instead of goodbye, Kaldur repeated what he said earlier, 'may we meet again in the future'.

Redbird nodded and turned to follow Batman down to the hanger. The team followed with Robin dashing to Redbird's side.

"We've set the device to send you back where you came from, right down to the location."

Redbird nodded in understanding as the assassin was brought out by Martian Manhunter. She was unconscious and he explained that she should stay that way long enough for Redbird to turn her in.

Batman wasn't looking at him. He looked at the assassin, he looked at Robin and the team and at Martian Manhunter.

Batman looked  _through_  him, past him and Redbird found he didn't mind. He didn't know how to say goodbye to this version of his father either.

Redbird glared at the assassin while he thought about his father in the future. A much darker, less accepting version than this one. He could probably pick out the events which made him that way.

The air was heavy with hesitation. Redbird took a deep breath and distanced himself. He focused on Nightwing and how the fool was probably panicking over his disappearance. He focused on his mission, getting this assassin back to Red Hood and his father.

"I thank you for your assistance," he said, moving to stand by the assassin. Huh, looked like West was about to cry.

"Good luck finding whoever hired her," Artemis said, a moment before his world went bright.

* * *

Jason's mouth was hanging open.

"So, someone was Redbird before Damian?" Tim questioned, looking up at the designation files.  _A08, Redbird_  was currently being displayed on the screen. Most of the information was locked, even though they were on the Batcomputer and had accessed the high security level information in the Justice League systems.

"Not exactly," Dick mused. He ignored the small part which asked what would happen if he was wrong, if Damian was in the hands of some monster while he chased old memories. He had to be right.

"It was Damain," Jason pointed out to Tim. Tim gave them a baffled look. "What did we find at the apartment? Signs of a…?"

"Temporal rift," Tim completed, realisation hitting a moment later. "Oh."

Jason turned to Dick. "Alright, so our assassin's in the time stream with the Demon brat. How do we get them back?"

"I'm sure we actually sent them back," Dick said, tapping his chin as he recalled the farewell. "I'm not sure of the details though, Bruce took care of it."

"Of course," Jason huffed, "and where is he?"

They all looked around, just realising that there was no sign of the Batman. His car was out, which was why they took the chance to use the Batcomputer, but his trackers and comm. were off.

Batman had gone dark.

"Great, now we've lost them both," Jason huffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Remember when this was Jason's case? Jason does.
> 
> Anyway, I checked the YJ wiki and the internet but couldn't find out who holds the A08 spot. So now it's Redbird's. It's the thing Nightwing thought about in the previous chapter; the thing they gave the time travelling hero as a mark of his existence in their time. The identity of A08 has been hidden from everyone who missed the incident with Redbird and Batman has insisted that no one else be given that designation (Robin, later, Nightwing backed him up on that so no one was willing to fight for it).


	10. Whelming, Regrets and Growing Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Redbird is back in his time.  
> Now he faces the older version of his father and a grown up Dick Grayson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: This was a tough chapter to write. It's gone through a number of rewrites and changed ideas, despite the first draft of the first paragraph being done um... around chapter 5 (I think?). Hopefully it makes sense but most of the Bat Clan are in mission mode so, emotions and talking about them are put to the side. Next chapter we start to look into why the assassin was hired and who hired her.
> 
> EDIT: see comments for a mini-fic

 

**Chapter 10 – Whelming, Regrets and Growing Up**

* * *

When Dick met Jason, he was ecstatic. When Bruce made Jason Robin, he was apprehensive. He felt like Bruce was rushing in order to reach the future where Damian, his son, was. Bruce said he was jealous and that he gave up Robin when he became Nightwing. Damian already proved that the name went to others and he should get over it.

Needless to say, that was just part of another shouting match between the two. Dick was upset about that as Damian had made it seem like they were all close.

_Maybe they had already changed something?_

When Jason died, Dick decided that they had changed something and it was time to forge a new path. He didn't know it at the time but Bruce agreed.

Tim came, became Robin and they welcomed him while trying to forget about the little bird from the future. It wasn't hard, the memories were old and fading with new meetings and experiences overshadowing them.

Then, on one of his journeys, Bruce finally met Damian. And he was  _wild_! The Damian they met wasn't anything like this. He attacked Tim, Robin, and almost killed him!

Bruce shied away from this stranger who was certainly not the son he met. Then he disappeared into time, the hero community believing him killed and leaving Dick to raise Damian.

While he didn't think about it often, Dick remembered that the Damian they had met spoke of his father like he was still around. Even though they had met their Damian, it wasn't hard for Dick to believe that the future had changed.

Dick treated Damian as a separate entity to the one they had met. He treated him like family.

And slowly, so slowly they barely noticed, Damian grew into the young teenager they had met.

It was so slow that realisation didn't hit Dick until Red Hood called in Redbird's disappearance while they were chasing an assassin.

* * *

Bruce had to see this for himself. He had to admit that Dick's theory had been appealing but he had long given up on the idea of his Damian and the one who visited them in the past being the same person.

And yet, here he was. Standing in the empty penthouse as Batman and waiting for something he wasn't sure would happen.

If Nightwing was right, how could he explain himself to his son? He knew that Damian could exist but hadn't looked for him. If he had found Damian just a little earlier, he could have spared the boy his mother's harsh indoctrination.

* * *

The light cleared and Redbird breathed a sigh of relief, tension fading from his shoulders as he recognised the penthouse. He looked down at the assassin to make sure she was still unconscious and then looked around.

Where was Red Hood?

"Figures. I have to carry this dead weight across the city," Redbird grumbled, glaring down at the assassin like this was her fault.

"Or you could take the Batmobile," Batman stated, appearing from the shadows. Redbird hid a flinch by flicking around and glaring really hard at his father. He hadn't even noticed that Batman was there.

"Where's Red Hood?" he demanded to know.

"Batcave. When you went missing, he called in the cavalry. Red Robin rushed in to assist and Nightwing's trying to prove his theory."

"What theory?"

"That a time traveller we once met travelled back." Shadows seemed to retreat from Batman's form as he stepped towards the assassin. "This the assassin?"

Redhood nodded, watching Batman curiously. The man's shoulders were heavier, but stronger. Deep frowning lines were evident in his face, more pronounced than the age lines Redbird knew were hidden under the cowl. His stance did not hint at even the slightest bit of happiness and Redbird wondered if it was because he stood by his father's side as Robin and not Grayson.

"Redbird, return to the cave. I'll find out who hired her and then drop her of at the GCPD."

Redbird frowned.

"Red Hood requested that he be the one to question her."

"I'll get Red Hood his info." When Redbird didn't move, "now, Redbird!"

Redbird flinched at the increase in volume and turned away with a growl. Gone were the times when Robins could sneak information and wheedle their way into Batman's cases, it seemed.

Or maybe...

"Red Hood wants the name of the person who hired her and I'm not leaving until I have it."

Batman huffed.

"Get in the car."

"How whelming father."

Batman flinched. It was small, nothing more than a twitch of his mouth but, it was enough to convince Redbird that his idea might work.

"What?"

"I said, 'how whelming father'. My visit to the past opened up new possibilities of vocabulary in the English language. I was educated by one well-known in the art." He smirked. "I may find myself utilising more of his word suggestions over the next few days, unless..."

Batman thought quickly. Both he and Alfred had been glad when Dick grew out of the made-up word phase and he did not want Damian going through one.

Damian! The one he thought would be above that kind of childish nonsense. The one who, unfortunately enough, was not above extortion.

Batman was not willing to question this assassin who targeted one of his own in front of Damian; he realised how much his son had changed from when he first came to stay with him. He needed to question the assassin without Damian around. Or he needed someone to distract Damian.

Batman opened his communication link.

"Batman! Where are you?" Nightwing demanded to know instantly.

"Penthouse. Get Red Hood here now."

"On my way."

"I'm coming too!" Red Robin insisted.

"Batman. Is he there?" Nightwing asked hesitantly.

"Come see for yourself." Nightwing would keep Redbird out of the way.

"There," Batman said to Redbird, "Red Hood will get his answers."

"-tt-" Redbird had no counter for that move.

And so they waited.

* * *

Nightwing was first to arrive, jumping through the window and looking between Batman and Redbird, barely paying heed to the assassin who was after his life.

"Redbird! You're okay?"

"I'm fine. 'Asterous,' as someone used to say."

"Asterous," Nightwing chuckled with a nostalgic smile just as Red Hood jumped in.

"Where is she?" he demanded to know, spotting he assassin on the ground. "Well, what do you know? The kid got her."

"The girl Martian knocked her out," Redbird commented for the sake of accuracy.

"Girl Martian? As in Miss Martian? Of the Teen Titans?" Red Robin commented sceptically, dropping from the darkness. He looked to Nightwing for confirmation, who shrugged.

"Check the mission reports later," Batman said, "questioning first." He picked up the assassin and placed her in a chair.

He then dragged the chair into another room with Red Hood following, vocally reminding him that this was his job.

"So how was the past?" Nightwing asked Redbird.

Redbird thought about the Robin in the past. Nightwing had a weight to his shoulders which Robin didn't. The childish way of speaking had vanished and his actions showed more self-restraint.

"My trip to the past was informative," he responded. Nightwing smiled and let the subject drop.

Redbird raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. It was slightly jarring to be standing before Nightwing after seeing him as Robin just moments ago.

* * *

Finally, Batman came storming out of the room, cape fluttering behind him with the sound of beating batwings.

"Cave. Now," he ordered.

The three shared confused looks before Red Hood came walking out.

"We got a name," he explained, "and the motive."


	11. Metropolis, Meetings and Masterminds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Dick is manipulative, Damian is quiet and Luthor can't find good help.

**Chapter 11 – Metropolis, Meetings and Masterminds**

* * *

"Lex Luthor," Batman announced. He pulled up the files, having unlocked secure information relating to the Team's founding. "Our assassin traced the funds of her upfront fee to his accounts."

"Doesn't Luthor usually focus on that flying simpleton in Metropolis? What possible reason could he have for going after Grayson?"

"In the past, don't forget that," Red Hood said. "Remember that condition I was talking about? Apparently, the condition was to go back to a certain time to make the hit."

"Well, no wonder no one wanted to take it," Nightwing commented. Time travel could be messy. Those who had the means to achieve it were also aware of the consequences that could come about.

"The covert team," Batman pointed out, bringing up files on Dick as Robin and his teammates. "Luthor is one of the few who knew of its existence. He also connected the dots regarding Dick's identity and past as Robin."

"So, go back to when Dick isn't as strong and take him out?" Red Robin suggested. "It sounds like a plan."

"Although it's a few robots and super-suits short to fit Luthor's MO," Red Hood pointed out.

"Please say we're going to Metropolis," Nightwing pleaded happily.

"This isn't a vacation," Red Hood pointed out.

"Doesn't mean we can't make it one. Take out Lex Luthor and then family vacation! In a city where we don't have to worry about who's going to save the hostages in the bank!" But, they would still try and assist with the hostages in the bank. They can have a fun vacation with or without action.

Batman's face suggested one thing. Distaste. The last thing he wanted was to take a vacation in Superman's city.

"A wonderful idea, Master Dick," Alfred commented. "I'll pack all your bags and get the private jet loaded."

"Yeah. Not going," Red Hood announced.

"Don't you want to see this through to the end?" Red Robin asked, "it was your case after all."

"And I'm going to finish it. With a bullet to Luthor's head."

"Surely you know that's a terrible plan."

"It's a better plan than going on vacation! And it doesn't involve you lot!"

"I'd rather we all go together." The comment was quiet and almost unheard of in Red Hood's ranting but, the timing meant that it sounded right when Red Hood stopped talking.

"What?" Red Robin questioned as he and Red Hood stared at Robin. Damian had changed from Redbird to Robin as soon as they returned.

"That's a great idea, Robin," Nightwing said, hugging Robin from behind. Nightwing knew that if they didn't go then Batman would try and fix it all by himself.

Red Hood would probably do the same they would probably get into a fight while Luthor gets away.

Damian shrugged him off.

"-tt- Idiot," Damian grumbled.

* * *

It didn't take much to get the family out of costume and boarding the private jet for Metropolis. Dick went because Bruce was going. Damian went because Dick went. Tim came because Bruce and Dick were going and they both invited him. Jason was harder but he went because Dick made him angry.

"You could just sit there and let us finish your mission," Dick said, reaching out. "Or, you could come with us and maybe get to punch Lex Luthor in his own city."

"Fine, Dickie-bird," he growled, pushing past the assassination target.

No one tried to kill each other on the flight. It helped that they could sit far apart but it also helped that Damian was focused on what he had experienced the past few days. Or was it hours?

"So, what was the past like?" Jason asked, itching for something to distract him part-way into the flight.

"What do you mean?" Damian questioned. "It was the past."

"Judging by the dates on the Redbird entry, you were there the first year the team was set up," Jason pointed out, "just wondered what they were like."

"Kent was grumpy, West talked non-stop, I have no idea who Artemis and Kaldur are and the Martian was always burning things."

"What about Robin?" Tim piped up, almost hesitantly. "What was Robin like back then? To know personally."

"But, you do know me personally," Dick commented sadly, trying to distract from the conversation. No one paid him more than a glance.

Damian thought about it. He looked over at Dick who looked like he was reclining but anyone who knew him could tell he was uncomfortable with the conversation.

Damian wondered how to put it into words.

A young Dick, who extended his hand to greet him, as open as his future self was. Who pulled the English language apart, who snuck around and didn't stop moving if he didn't have to. A different Robin, who watched him with curious eyes, who seemed to gravitate towards Batman's side, who laughed before danger, who hacked and got upset when something threatened his place. He was not quick to anger as Nightwing sometimes could be but still dealt with it alone. He was not a leader but he also wasn't as serious as Nightwing was.

The Dick Damian knew was, and he struggled a little with this wording,  _grown up._ He acted in ways Damian didn't understand. He could be serious and fun but understood the times and places for both.

"How about you tell them about the time Wally knocked Artemis into the pond?" Dick suggested, eager to move the conversation away from his younger self.

"What?" This had Tim's suggestion.

"You actually remember that?" Jason questioned. "And was this on a date or something?"

"A date?" Damian questioned.

"Artemis and Wally dated," Dick explained.

"That explains the degrading way they acted around each other," Damian mused.

"Which apparently involves Wally knocking Artemis into a pond."

The boys laughed and started sharing silly couple moments that they saw while on the team. Damian had been slightly upset to hear that Artemis was missing and Wally had married someone else but Dick assured him everything was alright. Artemis was not so much 'missing' as trying to live a normal life, without telling anyone what name she had or where she lived.

* * *

Lex Luthor glared at the reports. His company and side hobby were being frustrating right now, one not leaving time for the other.

"This is unacceptable," he grumbled as the comm. buzzed. "Why do I even have assistants?" Weren't they supposed to make things easier? Not bug him when he was trying to get something done.

"Sir, your eleven-thirty appointment is here."

"What eleven-thirty appointment?" he questioned, trying to sound pleasant. It was easier to get people to do what he wanted when he was pleasant.

"Bruce Wayne. Sir."

Bruce Wayne? And was that a giggle? Lex rubbed at his forehead where he could feel the headache starting.

"Send him up."

Bruce walked it with a little sway to his step. He was dressed in a suit so this was probably about business. He walked in and sat down without a word.

Coming in behind him were two of his adopted children, Richard and Timothy. Lex greeted them and they greeted him back. Richard politely and Timothy coolly.

They flanked Bruce and Lex realised that this probably wasn't about business, not officially.

"Did you want something, Bruce?" Lex asked, threading his hands together and leaning forward.

Bruce pulled out a picture and placed it on the desk before him. Lex internally sighed over Bats and their drama as he picked it up.

It was of some unknown woman, tied to a chair. She was dressed like a mercenary or assassin.

"One of your boys' long lost love affairs?" he questioned, just to see the bit of dark knight in the businessman's expression. "Really, why have you brought this to me?"

"She was hired to kill Dick Grayson using money traced to your accounts."

"What?" Okay, he had no idea what this was about. He looked up at Richard, who nodded in confirmation. "Someone is trying to frame me."

"Ain't that a shame?" a metallic voice spoke up from the doorway. Red Hood stalked in and Lex didn't need to see past the helmet to know that he was smiling.

Lex really needed to talk with the building security. Red Hood should not have been able to get a gun into his office.


	12. Accountants, Payday and Reasons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luthor is aware that he's sharing the room with Bats.  
>  Dick finds out who wants to kill him.  
>  Bruce has an idea why.

**Chapter 12 – Accountants, Payday and Reasons**

* * *

When being faced down by four angry bats, even if three were out of costume, there was only one person Lex knew he could get through to.

"Mr. Grayson. I did not hire anyone to kill you. After all, what could I possibly gain from your death?"

Dick glared at him but was willing to follow this trail of thought.

"In this time? Who knows? In the past, however, you have plenty to gain."

"Including crippling Wayne Enterprises for months," Bruce added.

"The past?"

Tim pulled up his tablet and swiped across a few screens. Some showed the link to his accounts and he stopped on one which was a description of the hit Lex supposedly ordered.

"Gotham police are also in possession of this evidence," Tim explained, "we just figured we'd get here first."

So he could expect the police around too?  _Great_.

"Let me see those accounts," he said, pulling up the accounts in question on his own computer. "And tell your youngest to put the knife away, thank you."

"-tt-" Damian had used all his skills to sneak up on the criminal mastermind. "How did you know I was there?"

"I've worked with your grandfather," Lex reminded him. "Would you like a seat?" He could have the assistant bring him one. And police assistance, considering Red Hood was standing in the room with a gun pointed at his chest.

"I will stand." Damian stood tall beside Grayson, knife hidden back wherever it had come from.

Lex had to hope that Red Hood had more patience than the child. The Gotham ex-crime lord was starting to look twitchy.

**Oh.**

All thoughts of the danger around him went away as Tim had provided him with the answer to a couple of issues which had been plaguing him for days.

"Martin Walls," Lex stated. He pulled up said employee's file. "He's worked here over a decade and is currently working in accounts. He's who you're after."

"And why would he want to kill Grayson?" Damian asked. Lex mentally dubbed him the 'little, angry one'.

"I have no idea," Lex shrugged. He pressed the comm. button and asked his assistant to bring Martin Wells to his office. "Let's find out, shall we?"

"I don't like this," Red Hood commented.

"Noted," Dick shot back.

Lex reclined in his chair and watched the Bat Clan. It was interesting to see the way they seemed to communicate with tiny shifts in body stance. It was almost like nervous fiddling but it flowed like conversation.

Red Hood's trigger finger stretched out and then curled back around the trigger.

Dick gave his head a tiny shake, almost like he was shaking hair out of his eyes.

Damian crossed his arms and Tim frowned at the door.

Red Hood gave a huff and Damian shifted closer to Dick.

Dick placed a hand on Damian's shoulder and slowly inclined his head towards the door.

Timothy bit his lip.

Bruce raised his eyebrow, his eyes sliding to the door. Following him, all eyes slid to the door as it opened and a tall guy in a pinstripe shirt, slacks, black shoes, glasses and brown gelled hair stumbled in.

Upon seeing the room's inhabitants, he swore. He ran. Dick's hand dropped from Damian's shoulder.

Like a bat out of hell, the little one bolted after the man. Tim followed, two steps behind him. They dragged him back by the arms and dropped him before Bruce and Lex.

"Mr. Wells, what have you been up too?" Lex asked.

"I manage your accounts Mr. Luthor," Martin responded.

"Then, can you tell me about the money which has mysteriously gone missing?"

"I've been looking into it."

"Red Hood here," Lex pointed to Red Hood. "Has brought evidence that you've been embezzling from the company. My company. And you used some of that money to aim a hit at my friend here." While Dick didn't react, Damian and Tim both made distasteful expressions at him referring to Richard as a 'friend'.

Martin did not speak. He frowned and sweat dropped down his brow.

"Why'd you do it?" Lex asked, putting a pitiful inflection into his tone. "Answer the question or," can't call Red Hood a 'friend' as he didn't want to directly associate himself with a known criminal, "Red Hood will make you."

Red Hood tilted his head back and made a 'why me?' expression under his helmet.

"Robin and his friends, the brats, they cost me thousands and the best job I ever had!" Martin spilled. "And you've mentioned how Robin grew into Nightwing and the real identity of Nightwing on previous occasions so I decided to take my revenge! And maybe save my job!"

"What job?" Tim questioned looking between Martin and Lex.

"Mr. Wells was part of a group of employees I loaned out to another company years ago. He was working on a project but I have no idea what it was." Actually, Lex knew exactly which project it was. But he wasn't going to say in case he incriminated himself. Maybe he could give them a hint and see if they could figure it out. "The project had to be put on hold when the facility sustained damage during the 4th and 5th of July, years ago. Mr. Wells knows how to hold a grudge."

"Bet that's something you look for in all your employees," Red Hood commented.

Lex let the comment go. The boy didn't understand. Instead, he looked to Bruce and Dick. Realisation flashed on Dick's face before being masked by annoyance.

Lex smiled.

"Now, as you have seen, my only indiscretion is mentioning theories I may have regarding Gotham's Dark Knight and associates." He turned to Red Hood, as if only speaking to him. "I will hand this ex-employee over to the police when they arrive so,  _kindly remove yourselves from my office_."

Red Hood paused, leaving Bruce to decide.

"I guess we can call this a 'stalemate'. I look forward to our next meeting." They all knew Bruce didn't mean it. But the man stood up and Red Hood took that as his cue to leave.

"I'll be watchin' you," he said to Lex before leaving the way he came.

The little one made a motion with his hands, pointing two fingers at his eyes and then flicking them at Lex. He assumed this meant the same thing as Red Hood's parting words and was not impressed.

Dick left last, leaving some parting words before walking out.

"Marty, according to the masked hero who left this information for us and captured your assassin; your assassin was off by a few months, if you really were looking to save your project and facility."

Martin, who everyone referred to as 'Marty' except his boss, muttered a couple of curses as Dick made his exit.

Lex looked over at his employee, whose hands and legs were cuffed, and buzzed his assistant.

"When the police come, send them up."

Lex settled in for a busy afternoon. At least he didn't have to worry about his messed up accounts and missing money now.

* * *

Damain scowled and pulled the curtains of the hotel room closed.

"I still don't get it," he admitted, "why did that lowlife aim for Grayson?"

"The Team," Dick stated. He was met with three sets of confused eyes, seeking more information. "I'll explain. Aqualad, Kid Flash and I, as Robin, ended up entering and exploring a facility on the fourth of July. Underground, they had been working on Project Kr-"

"Superboy," Tim supplied.

"-who we titled Superboy. Marty must have wanted revenge on the covert team which broke into CADMUS and took Superboy and I just happened to be the one whose identity he knew."

"There's another option," Bruce's gruff voice said. He came out of the shower with a towel around his shoulders and a towel around his waist. His sons were not impressed with the show. "He just wanted to destroy the Team. Impossible in our current time as the Team has already disbanded. And the fastest way to take out the Team is to take out its future leader."

"That's a good theory," Jason said, taking a swing of a bottle from the minibar. His whole attitude screamed, 'I don't care.' "Luthor could still had a hand in it."

"Take your feet off the table," Dick ordered him. Jason didn't listen.

"I doubt it," Tim said, "he seemed surprised to see the accounts." Tim swatted his hand at Jason's feet, which were uncomfortably close to his laptop.

"And his secretary told me that he was overworking himself trying to keep the company from leaking money. I don't think he knew about Marty's embezzling," Dick added.

"He's just a loser who's sore about losing a job year ago," Jason commented, "can we move on? What's there to do in this city?"

"See Superman?" Dick suggested. Four sets of eyes stared at him, all silently responding 'no'. "Aw, come on! You can't come to Metropolis and not see Superman!"

"Clark will find us if he needs us," Bruce responded.

"Not the point."

"I guess we could go to the art museum?" Tim suggested. Bruce nodded as it was an idea. Jason groaned, loudly.

"I need to check in at the office," Bruce reminded them. Wayne Tech had an office in Metropolis. He figured since he was here under the guise of business, he needed to appear in the office.

"Yeah!" Dick said, agreeing to Tim's idea. "And we could check out the zoo!"

Damian perked up at the suggestion of a zoo.

"Right, that all sounds like fun but, I'm out," Jason said.

"Well, what  _are_  you going to do?" Dick demanded to know.

"Like I'd tell you," Jason responded.

"If Superman brings you back, I'm taking a picture," Tim pointed out flatly. Jason paused and Bruce added;

"If any of you do anything to attract Superman's wrath and lose, you're washing the Batmobile and the jet when we get back."

Jason sat back down. He could try his luck later. Hopefully after finding and destroying Tim's camera.


	13. Rest, Relaxation(?) and Teams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bat Clan 'vacation' in Metropolis. Unfortunately, they spend a lot of time in their hotel suite and time out hunting criminals.  
> If it wasn't for the old Team members popping up, there wouldn't have been anything of note at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: This is the final chapter. Just something to wrap it up. The last paragraph could possibly link into a future story I'm planning with Damian (where he has his own Young Justice) but that's still a way away for now.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has commented!
> 
> Keep watching me because I have plans. Story plans. Story plans involving Young Justice. (Still have a lot of prompts I picked up from the YJ anon meme).
> 
> And Merry Christmas!

 

**Chapter 13 – Rest, Relaxation(?) and Teams**

* * *

Conner Kent felt out-of-place in the ritzy suites that this hotel sported however, he had been called. He knocked on the door and waited for whichever Robin was close enough to open it.

Looks like he got the youngest. Damian looked him up and down and back again.

"Hey!" he greeted with a smile and wave. The boy's face twisted into disgust but Conner had been assured that was normal.

What Damian said, wasn't normal.

"Do you not  _age_?"

Oh. Curses.

"Damian! What are you saying?" Tim's outraged voice came with the pounding of feet and the door being pulled open all the way.

The first thing that hit Conner was how closed up the room was. It could be day or night and he wouldn't be able to tell the difference. All the curtains were drawn and lights were on.

"Hi Tim," Conner said. Tim's mouth formed a little 'o' and he turned to Damian.

"Superboy doesn't age," Tim explained to Damian in a frustrated tone.

"-tt- Obviously. He looks the same as he did in the past."

"I.. what?" He was confused. Conner walked into the suite, looking for Dick who had called him. Dick was stretching on the floor, bending himself in two.

"Damian's Redbird and he came back from the past yesterday."

Conner looked Damian over. He did remember Redbird, although he had preferred calling him 'Damian'. Redbird was the guy who insulted him and escaped the Mountain. _Damian_ was the guy who came out for ice-cream.

"Well, it's about time," he finally said. "You know how long we've been waiting for you, kid?"

Tim and Damian's shocked looks mirrored each other. Dick smirked and even Jason barked a laugh.

"You know, a little warning would have been nice," Jason said to the clone. "Almost shot up Gotham when the brat went missing."

"Don't look at me," Conner responded, throwing his hands up in mock-surrender. "Kaldur was leader at the time. Alternatively, you could have spoken to Wally."

"West probably doesn't even remember what happened last week, let alone what happened years ago," Damian said. Although it didn't feel like years. Especially when Superboy stood before him, looking almost exactly the same.

Although, the brown jacket was new.

"Or Batman," Conner added, "isn't he supposed to, like, know everything?"

"Sounds like you've been talking to," Dick grunted as he stretched a leg straight up and along his chest, "M'gann again."

"We're friends," Conner responded.

"So, why are you here?" Jason asked.

"Dick called me."

"What?" Dick questioned when they all turned to him. He had three sceptical looks with tints of annoyance and one waiting to hear why he had been called. "Okay, you guys wouldn't let me call Superman, so I called the next best thing!"

"Wow. Second to Superman. Thanks,  **Dick** ," Conner deadpanned, his face twisting into the frown Damian had become familiar with during his trip to the past.

Dick's face fell and shock flashed on it as the way Conner interpreted what he said sunk in.

"NO! That's not what I meant at all!"

"Wow, Dick," Jason commented, sounding serious but the wide smile on his face said otherwise.

"I think Grayson is trying to imply that you have unique status in that you are one of the few people we will tolerate and that we do not tolerate Superman," Damian commented, helping his former mentor out of the metaphorical hole he let himself fall into.

"So, you're saying," Conner said, "that if you had to choose, it's me over Superman?"

"-tt- That's what I said. Are you even liste-" Damian's words were cut off as Conner wrapped him in a hug.

"I like you," Conner announced, letting him go and ignoring his furious protests. What Conner remembered of Redbird, other than their disastrous beginning when Redbird escaped past him, were the words Damian said to him in the park:

_"I've seen weapons and they don't spend their time eating ice cream in the park with friends."_

Conner had held onto that. Held onto his friends because he was less of a weapon with them.

"I called Conner in as a tour guide," Dick said. Conner and Damian turned to see him talking to Jason.

"That's actually not a bad idea," Tim agreed. "Conner does visit Metropolis a lot."

"So, tour guide?" Dick asked Conner with a hopeful look.

Conner shrugged. Why not?

* * *

When night fell, the bats went out to play. Batman went to meet with Superman, in order to get information on how the Marty and Luthor scenario was playing out. Red Hood was next out.

Jason didn't care what Bruce had said, he wanted only one thing while in Metropolis. Action. And he more than deserved it after the clone dragged him, the replacement, the demon brat and golden-boy around the city. For goodness sakes, they could get ice-cream in Gotham!

Jason donned his Red Hood outfit and leapt off the balcony. It wasn't until he reached the roof of the next building that he noticed he had company.

"Really?" he questioned in disbelief as Robin, Red Robin and Nightwing smirked at him. "I thought you lot cared about your reps? Hanging with a known criminal won't get you any points."

"But, you're with us," Nightwing said, as if that cleared everything up.

"It's one night," Red Robin stated.

Robin just glared at him. They had come to Metropolis as a group.

* * *

They ended up splitting up as crimes occurred beneath their feet but the four seemed to gravitate towards each other as they moved through the bright lights of Metropolis.

Robin was watching over the edge of a roof as Nightwing jumped down and swung across to the other side of the street where three criminals were breaking into a pawn shop.

"I never thought he'd leave," a bright voice commented from behind him. Robin jumped and flung out a batarang, even though he recognised the deep tenor. Even though the last time he heard it, it had been a voice in the middle of breaking.

"What do you want, West?" he hissed as the Flash's red uniform streaked out of the way of the projectile.

"I knew I liked you," another, slightly deeper and smoother than the last time he heard it, voice spoke up. This one was from a female. A blond female sitting on the edge of the roof.

"Artemis?" Robin questioned, "Grayson said you were missing."

"Officially missing," the woman responded, tucking stray golden locks behind her ear. "I have a lot of enemies."

"What are you both doing here?"

"Conner told us you were in town," Artemis responded. She smiled at the Flash. "And Wally brought me over to say 'hi'."

"Uh-huh." Disbelief radiated from Robin.

"It's not that crazy," Flash explained, "I mean, we considered you part of the team. Of course we'd come say 'hi' after hearing about your journey. Still surprised that it's actually you, but," he shrugged, as if to say 'what can you do?'.

Robin didn't respond. They had come and now he was waiting for them to leave; he didn't know what to say.

"Oh, and M'gann knows too," Flash added. "Conner told everyone."

"Everyone?" Robin questioned with a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Everyone," Artemis echoed with a smile and a wave. Then she mentioned it was time to go, told him to take care and they were gone in a flash of red and yellow.

"Did I see Flash?" Nightwing asked as soon as his feet planted on the roof.

"And Artemis," Robin responded. Nightwing poked his cheek.

"Is that a smile?"

"It is not and  **stop touching me, Nightwing**!"

"Ohh, bad touch," Red Hood commented, dropping onto the roof. "Anyway, I've got three muggers, two car jackers and five break-ins. How about you losers?"

* * *

Damian debated that he and Grayson should have won because they took out the most as a team. Jason and Tim both stated that they were only counting individual take-downs and so Jason won, by one car jacker.

"There are cookies on the table."

"What?" Jason and Damian both turned to the table where, sitting innocently, was a plate of cookies. Jason swore.

"Aw, they're from M'gann," Dick added, picking up the card while Tim looked baffled that Miss Martian had dropped off cookies for them. "'Dear Damian', wait that's crossed out. 'To Redbird, here are some cookies. I am much better at making them now. Enjoy, MM.'"

"Someone needs to talk to that girl about secret I.Ds," Jason commented, reaching for a cookie. Tim slapped his hand away.

"We don't know if she left them or if they're a trap!"

Dick picked one up and nibbled it. Then he made a face.

"They're hers alright. The same unique taste. Not good but not gut-wrenchingly bad."

Each of the boys took and tasted one. Faces were made, opinions exchanged and Damian gave Tim a 'thank you' to tell M'gann.

* * *

Damian didn't tell anyone about the email Kaldur sent. He had been surprised to learn that Atlanteans could have email. Apparently, Dick had set it up for him back when he was Robin and Kaldur was Aqualad. In the email, Kaldur send him details of the team and his thoughts about Leadership.

Also, juicy details about Grayson's time on the team. And the short time Todd had been on the team. And about Drake's time on the team, before the team disbanded. In fact, Kaldur had details on all his 'brothers'.

Kaldur was certainly a good acquaintance to cultivate communications with. Damian typed a response instead of paying attention to the movie Grayson had flipped the TV onto.

* * *

Bruce watched Damian type with his stoic expression on his face. Dick was sitting on the couch next to him and while he seemed entirely focused on the movie, the unwilling twitches of expression he showed were focused on Damian.

Damian, who was constructing an email for the Atlantean.

Bruce tensed.

"This is good," Dick assured him. "Besides, you know that Kaldur is responsible. He'll be a good teacher for Damian. And one day, your son might even lead his own team."

"Give us strength," Bruce muttered in response, trying to imagine his son leading a team. He couldn't. Bruce had a hard enough time with the Justice League, people he had been working with for years.

"We liked him," Dick pointed out, giving him a knowing smile. "He just needs to find the right team."


End file.
